Synthesis of a sugar-organometallic compound 1,1′-difurfurylferrocene and its microwave preparation of carbon/iron oxide nanocomposite

In order to synthesize a carbon–metal or metal oxide combination sphere, carbonaceous resource furfural 1 was introduced, which was nucleophilic treated with 1,1′-dilithioferrocene 2 to form a sugar-organometallic compound: ferrocenyl monosaccharide derivative 1,1′-difurfurylferrocene 3. 1,1′-Difurfurylferrocene 3 can be hydrothermally treated in a microwave reactor to give 300–500 nm microspheres with the α-Fe2O3 or Fe3O4 nanocrystals formed on the surface, which may be favorable for new magnetic materials preparation or instead of iron with other metal ions, versatile carbon/metal composites will be possibly synthesized for catalysis, drug delivery and magnetic uses.